CONTACT

Homelessness

Consultation on the future of temporary housing support services

The Council is reviewing temporary housing support services. Part of that process is to invite feedback from those people who use the services or have done in the past, that are provided by one of the following organisations: Alabare/BCHA/Westcountry Housing Association at Raglan House.

Prevention and housing register

If you are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or would just like advice on a housing issue please contact our Housing Options Service, based at our 1st Stop Shop in the city centre.

We may be able to offer help and advice that might include:

Advising and supporting you to find accommodation in the private rented sector.

Prevent you from becoming homeless by linking you to other services.

Referring you to supported accommodation projects available in the city.

Referring you for support to maintain your existing tenancy that could include tenancy support.

Helping you to apply for welfare benefits where you are entitled, or to consider the impact on your household of the welfare reforms that may affect the amount of housing benefit, council tax benefit and other benefits that you receive.

If you are actually homeless when you come to the housing service we will give you more detailed advice and may provide emergency accommodation if you meet certain criteria.

If you are approaching the service because you are homeless:

We have a duty to investigate cases of homelessness and depending upon circumstances can help with re-housing or provide advice and assistance.

We have a legal duty to house you if you have nowhere to stay or are likely to lose your home in the next 28 days, if the following circumstances apply:

You have a priority need such as being a pregnant woman or a family with children under 16, or are vulnerable for other reasons such as poor health or disability that means you are more likely to come to harm than an average person.

You are homeless through no fault or omission of your own.

You have a connection with the Plymouth area, either by living here for some time, being employed here, or have a relative here.

Each person’s circumstances and reasons why they are homeless or threatened with homelessness would be looked at individually in order to assess whether we have a duty to house you.

Devon Home Choice

Devon Home Choice is a new way of letting social rented homes in Plymouth. This is part of a Devon wide housing register and Choice Based Letting scheme.

There is a shortage of social housing in Plymouth, and this means that even applicants who have a high level of housing need are likely to wait a long time before successfully bidding for housing. Many applicants who are assessed as having low priority may struggle to access housing through Devon Home Choice.

Applicants for sheltered housing need to be registered with Devon Home Choice. This can be done online via the Devon Home Choice website although paper forms are also available for those who need them. If you would like a paper form these are available from the offices of most of our partner housing association landlords, as well as from our 1st Stop Shop in the city centre.

Applicants seeking sheltered housing will be able to bid for homes advertised in Devon Home Choice, subject to any additional eligibility criteria (for example age) that the adverts may show. Before being offered a tenancy in any sheltered housing schemes, the landlord would need to check that you were in need of the support services available.

Housing associations

A number of housing associations operate in Plymouth providing accommodation and/or specialist support services. Access to housing association properties is via Devon Home Choice.

Affordable home ownership

If you are interested in buying a shared ownership property South West Homes can advise on the application process and provide details of shared ownership properties available in the south west.